“I really like Louhela as a residential area because its immediate surroundings have forests, trees and other nature,” says Jorma Pulkkinen, 83, as he points to the field and forest area between Louhela and Kaivoksela in Western Vantaa. For over three decades he lived in Louhela, and even though he currently lives in nearby Kaivoksela, his daily walks often take him to Louhela.

“I still see a lot of familiar faces here,” Pulkkinen says as he greets a couple passing by.

lives in nearby Kaivoksela, his daily walks often take him to Louhela.

“I still see a lot of familiar faces here,” Pulkkinen says as he greets a couple passing by.

Both Louhela residents and people living elsewhere in Finland know Jorma Pulkkinen as the face of the quiz show Ruutuysi and as the host of the Kultainen harmonikka (“Golden accordion”) competitions. He has also had careers as a municipal councillor, sports commentator, navigator and advocate for motor racing.

Not so many people know that Pulkkinen is also an excellent singer, an aerobatic pilot and an occasional film actor. He also spent 36 years living under the Spanish sun with his wife Anna-Liisa, but now they have returned to Western Vantaa.

Jorma Pulkkinen’s family includes his wife, two adult sons Timo and Tomi born in the 1960s, and six grandchildren. The sons have followed in their father’s footsteps to the world of motor racing; Timo works as a presenter and Tomi as a cameraman in F1 competitions and rally.

On the Eräkuja street in Louhela, the boys were able to enjoy a safe childhood.

“Even in first grade, they could walk to school on their own, because they did not need to cross any major roads on their way there. On the other end of our home yard was a cellar that was the meeting place of a club they attended,” Pulkkinen says. 

“Almost all families in the area had children, because this was such a safe and peaceful place. We never experienced any disturbances.”

The yards of apartment buildings in Louhela still have a lot of playgrounds, just like in the 1960s and 1970s when the Pulkkinen sons were still children. The schools are still located within walking distance in Kaivoksela and Uomarinne, Myyrmäki. A large day-care centre has been built in the area.

The Jokiuomanpuisto park, located next to the Pulkkinen family’s former home yard, is still a verdant green area between Louhela and Martinlaakso.

Of course, many things in Louhela have changed since the days the Pulkkinen family lived there. Houses have been built and renovated to be more modern.  The former home of the Pulkkinen family on the Eräkuja street has also been renovated, including its yard area.

The restaurant Kultakaivos in the old shopping centre was a popular spot for get-togethers, but it has since then been replaced by a five-storey apartment building and a new, smaller shopping centre. Back in the day, this was the location of Ullan Grilli, the legendary hot-dog and hamburger stand. The new shopping centre also has an Ullan Grilli, but is not managed by the same Ulla.

“We used to live in the same building as Ulla. She had a lot of stuff, so we gave her our second cellar storage space. In return, I always got free hot dogs from her stand. It was a good deal,” Pulkkinen laughs.

You can now shop for your daily groceries in the shopping centre, and the food selection on the centre includes, in addition to hot dogs, Chinese food which Pulkkinen has now tried out. Everything you could need is available nearby in Myyrmäki: big commercial centres that have restaurants and grocery and clothes shops, a library, a health centre and a movie theatre. The indoor swimming pool by the Uomarinteenlukio high school is located right next to Louhela, and the Urheilupuisto park in Myyrmäki has an ice rink, football arena, airdome and athletics ground.

In the summer, outdoor events such as Louhelajam are organised in the Jokiuomanpuisto park. In Louhela, culture is also close by.

Louhela has incredible traffic connections. The major road 3, Hämeenlinnanväylä, runs right behind the forest and leads to the road circuits. It is one of the easiest ways of getting to Helsinki or even Tampere.

The airport line is the train connection between the Louhela station, the Helsinki-Vantaa airport and the city centre of Helsinki. Back in the day, the Pulkkinen family used to take the train to Helsinki, and Anna-Liisa did so daily to get to her work in a travel agency.

“We both travelled abroad often, due to our jobs. Back then, the train did not go as far as the airport, like it does now, but we could take taxis to get there fast.”

Pulkkinen also used a vehicle that was a little peculiar for this environment.

“I had a snowmobile parked at the corner of our house. I used to drive it to Keimola, and sometimes I even stopped by the Esso petrol station in Konala to get petrol,” Pulkkinen says, but emphasises that times were different back then.

Louhela is under a lot of construction, just as all of Western Vantaa. Many people want to live in a peaceful suburb where there is space and nature close by. Children can safely spend time outside, because there are no motor roads right next to the houses. Leisure time activities are near.

Lumo homes on the Haltiantie street have been renovated. The street itself is located right by the Jokiuomanpuisto park. The surroundings include a mini-golf course, a dog park and a place for washing carpets.

Jorma Pulkkinen turns wistful when reminiscing about his home in Louhela.

“When I looked out the window on the fourth floor, I could only see greenery and trees,” he says.

“If we were to find the perfect accessible home, I would move back here immediately. I liked it here so much.”